A couple days ago I installed a 12v power outlet (cigarette lighter outlet) in the rear of my center console, so that rear seat passengers will have access to 12v.
I also installed another 12v outlet, hidden beneath the cupholders. This hidden outlet is for the power adapter that runs my Sportster5 Sirius radio unit. The satellite unit is always connected to the switched power outlet, so its adapter was previously always hogging the 12v outlet in the front of the console - now the front outlet is available, plus it looks cleaner with less wires.
Both new outlets are connected to the current power outlet circuit. The satellite radio draws negligible amperage, but I am adding a possible increased load to a stock circuit by adding another place to plug in devices. If I was to plug high-amperage devices into both available sockets I could definitely overload the circuit and blow the fuse. I did not increase the fuse size - the fuse size is meant to protect the wiring from overload, if you "fix" the problem of blowing a fuse by increasing the fuse size but not upgrading the circuit wiring gauge, you are being foolish and unsafe, and you obviously don't understand the concept of a fuse in the first place. Moving on...
Various tools needed: nothing special. Philips screwdriver, small flathead screwdriver, 8mm socket/ratchet. Electrical tools for cutting/crimping/heat shrinking. Drill and knife and/or file.
Prep work that I didn't take pics of:
1. remove cupholders by pulling straight up on them. easy.
2. remove center console by removing two 8mm bolts at the front (hidden under cupholders), and two screws on the outside of the lower rear of the console (slide seats forward, they are hidden under covers that you pop off). also easy, though you have to fiddle a bit to get the console out past the seat arm rests and handbrake.
Parts:
* (2) 12v outlets
* (1) cap for outlet
* wire and connections for 12v outlet (not shown in this picture)
This picture shows the wire that contains both connectors for both 12v sockets. I had already spliced it in when I took this pic, but it shows how the two new outlets are on the same circuit, kind of "daisy chain" style. I later added some protective vinyl sheathing to the exposed wiring you see here, because it was routed near some edges that I didn't want it to rub against.
Here is the wire routing from the connection to the stock harness, then routed down below the console/cupholder. Keep your wire routing in mind, you don't want stray wires rubbing on sharp edges (even plastic edges can cut wire insulation with repeated contact). You can't see it in this picture, but I have protective vinyl sheathing on the wiring from here on back to the rear outlet.
Here is a close-up of the wiring spliced into the stock 12v circuit. I used crimped spade connectors covered by heat shrink.
This is the bottom of the rear of the console. I had originally hoped to be able to mount the rear 12v outlet in the rear of the console, under the rear HVAC switches. There is not enough room to do this though. The ducting for the rear vents runs along the floor and then turns upward and hugs the rear of the console, leaving little to no room for the outlet (the outlet is nearly 2 inches deep, with the wiring connector).
If you want to see for yourself, pop the rear of the console off at the top first, then up (to release the lower clips). It's hard to describe in words and pictures, but obvious when you have the parts in your hands.
For some reason I didn't take a picture of the hole I drilled in the trim piece. The trim piece comes from the console, it is the missing rectangular piece in the above picture.
I drilled a hole with the largest standard drill bit I have, then slowly enlarged with an razor blade to get the exact fit. The fit was very tight, I think next time (if I was to do this again) I would use a step drill bit, the hole size is exactly 1" and I think a step bit (unibit) would do OK and save some time.
Other side:
This is a bad picture, but it's all I have.
You can see the connector that the hidden outlet will be plugged into, the tucked down in that little pocket there. I added protective sheathing after this pic was taken. You can see the wire run to the rear outlet, it already has sheathing on it (the black tube looking stuff), it crosses over the HVAC duct, and continues back to the rear of the console on the passenger side.
Here's a view of the installed 12v outlet from the top:
...and from the rear:
The clearance is a bit tight to the drivers arm rest, but not too bad. Overly larger power adapter may not fit. the next time I need to order some random part for the vehicle, I might buy another cover and re-drill it with the hole a couple millimeters further to the right, to get a bit more clearance.
I also installed another 12v outlet, hidden beneath the cupholders. This hidden outlet is for the power adapter that runs my Sportster5 Sirius radio unit. The satellite unit is always connected to the switched power outlet, so its adapter was previously always hogging the 12v outlet in the front of the console - now the front outlet is available, plus it looks cleaner with less wires.
Both new outlets are connected to the current power outlet circuit. The satellite radio draws negligible amperage, but I am adding a possible increased load to a stock circuit by adding another place to plug in devices. If I was to plug high-amperage devices into both available sockets I could definitely overload the circuit and blow the fuse. I did not increase the fuse size - the fuse size is meant to protect the wiring from overload, if you "fix" the problem of blowing a fuse by increasing the fuse size but not upgrading the circuit wiring gauge, you are being foolish and unsafe, and you obviously don't understand the concept of a fuse in the first place. Moving on...
Various tools needed: nothing special. Philips screwdriver, small flathead screwdriver, 8mm socket/ratchet. Electrical tools for cutting/crimping/heat shrinking. Drill and knife and/or file.
Prep work that I didn't take pics of:
1. remove cupholders by pulling straight up on them. easy.
2. remove center console by removing two 8mm bolts at the front (hidden under cupholders), and two screws on the outside of the lower rear of the console (slide seats forward, they are hidden under covers that you pop off). also easy, though you have to fiddle a bit to get the console out past the seat arm rests and handbrake.
Parts:
* (2) 12v outlets
* (1) cap for outlet
* wire and connections for 12v outlet (not shown in this picture)
This picture shows the wire that contains both connectors for both 12v sockets. I had already spliced it in when I took this pic, but it shows how the two new outlets are on the same circuit, kind of "daisy chain" style. I later added some protective vinyl sheathing to the exposed wiring you see here, because it was routed near some edges that I didn't want it to rub against.
Here is the wire routing from the connection to the stock harness, then routed down below the console/cupholder. Keep your wire routing in mind, you don't want stray wires rubbing on sharp edges (even plastic edges can cut wire insulation with repeated contact). You can't see it in this picture, but I have protective vinyl sheathing on the wiring from here on back to the rear outlet.
Here is a close-up of the wiring spliced into the stock 12v circuit. I used crimped spade connectors covered by heat shrink.
This is the bottom of the rear of the console. I had originally hoped to be able to mount the rear 12v outlet in the rear of the console, under the rear HVAC switches. There is not enough room to do this though. The ducting for the rear vents runs along the floor and then turns upward and hugs the rear of the console, leaving little to no room for the outlet (the outlet is nearly 2 inches deep, with the wiring connector).
If you want to see for yourself, pop the rear of the console off at the top first, then up (to release the lower clips). It's hard to describe in words and pictures, but obvious when you have the parts in your hands.
For some reason I didn't take a picture of the hole I drilled in the trim piece. The trim piece comes from the console, it is the missing rectangular piece in the above picture.
I drilled a hole with the largest standard drill bit I have, then slowly enlarged with an razor blade to get the exact fit. The fit was very tight, I think next time (if I was to do this again) I would use a step drill bit, the hole size is exactly 1" and I think a step bit (unibit) would do OK and save some time.
Other side:
This is a bad picture, but it's all I have.
You can see the connector that the hidden outlet will be plugged into, the tucked down in that little pocket there. I added protective sheathing after this pic was taken. You can see the wire run to the rear outlet, it already has sheathing on it (the black tube looking stuff), it crosses over the HVAC duct, and continues back to the rear of the console on the passenger side.
Here's a view of the installed 12v outlet from the top:
...and from the rear:
The clearance is a bit tight to the drivers arm rest, but not too bad. Overly larger power adapter may not fit. the next time I need to order some random part for the vehicle, I might buy another cover and re-drill it with the hole a couple millimeters further to the right, to get a bit more clearance.
